


Losing Time

by yamirenamon



Category: The Transformers (IDW Generation One), Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-16
Updated: 2016-05-16
Packaged: 2018-06-08 22:03:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,647
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6875422
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yamirenamon/pseuds/yamirenamon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Takes place during MTMTE issues 51 and 52. Megatron has left the other Autobots to meet Tarn alone. Meanwhile, Rung, his conjunx, makes small talk with Chromedome as they wait for the return of the DJD.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Losing Time

Sunset. That was how long they had before the DJD would return. There weren’t very many hours left in the day but Rung felt time slow down with each passing moment. It started when Megatron ended his personal call to Tarn.

“I'm sorry you got caught in my mess,” Megatron said to Rung, “None of you should be here with me.”

“You’re going to meet Tarn alone aren't you?” Rung hoped that he wouldn't leave.

“I'm the one the DJD is after. I might have a chance to persuade Tarn into letting you all go if I surrender myself.”

Rung wanted to protest. His selfish words that held Megatron’s life above the other Autobots were stuck in his vocalizer. 

“I know,” Rung managed to get out.

Megatron took a step closer towards Rung and leaned down to kiss him. Rung gently wrapped his arms around Megatron’s neck. Megatron broke their kiss far too soon for Rung’s liking.

“Even if I had known I would one day face the DJD I still would have chosen to be with you,” Rung almost whispered.

“I love you and I won’t let you die for my past. I promise,” Megatron said, gently nudging at Rung’s shoulders to get him to let go.

“I love you too, my conjunx,” Rung finally loosened his grip on Megatron.

Rung could feel his perception of time slow down again as he watched Megatron walk away. Rodimus ran past Rung to speak with Megatron. Rung stood frozen in place staring at the room where Megatron went to take the building’s only vehicle. He could hear Rodimus asking where Megatron was leaving and why before Megatron drove away. Rung felt sick with the words he wish he had said. He had a reputation of being absolutely selfless and kind to everyone. But just this once he wished he had been selfish and begged Megatron to stay.

“We’re so screwed,” Rodimus groaned as he walked back out.

Rung finally found the will to move and turned his heel to walk back down the hall. His footsteps echoed in his audials and his processor was screaming at him to turn back and find Megatron. But his feet lead him away on their own accord. 

“At least I know how to keep the promises I make!”

Rung stopped abruptly when he heard Rewind shouting. His mind was in such a haze that he didn't realize he was walking towards an occupied room. Rewind stormed out of the room and Rung stared at him as the minibot left his sight.

“I'm sorry you had to hear that,” Chromedome called from within the room.

Rung let out a soft vent. He had hoped that the two didn't hear him approach. Rung cautiously walked through the door that had been left open. Chromedome was sitting in a chair, one hand lightly pressed to the side of his temple.

“I wasn't trying to eavesdrop on you,” Rung apologized, “I just spaced out a little. Too much on the mind.

“I think we’ve all got too much on our minds right now,” Chromedome said.

Rung sat down in an empty chair across from Chromedome.

“I know it's not any of my business but sunset will be here a lot quicker than we’d like,” Rung said, “I would think you’d want to spend that time with Rewind.”

Rung had initially planned on spending his time away from the rest of the crew that had been marooned on the Necrobot’s planet. But he needed to talk to someone. He didn't want to talk about himself for the most part as he wanted to keep his mind off his current situation as much as possible.

“Things between Rewind and I are complicated. More complicated than usual.”

Chromedome lifted his head and let his arm rest in his lap.

“I know these could be our last hours alive and I should spend them with Rewind. I want to spend them with him. But I can't make him stay with me if he doesn't want to be with me.”

Rung knew that just about every conjunx couple had their share in difficulties but he didn't think Chromedome and Rewind’s relationship had strained so terribly.

“Rewind is upset over you injecting?” Rung inquired.

“He is,” Chromedome said, “Though he has every right to be. I haven’t been keeping my promise to stop. But it's not just the injections. It's… It's Dominus.”

Rung was surprised by this news.

“Dominus Ambus? The one Rewind is still looking for?” Rung said.

“I joined the Lost Light to help Rewind find Dominus,” Chromedome sighed, “But I can't help but feel like he cares more about his past relationship. I often dread the thought of actually finding Dominus alive. I am scared that Rewind might leave me to be with him.”

Rung suddenly felt a small pang of guilt for asking about Rewind. He reminded himself to not ask too many intrusive questions as he had resigned practicing psychiatry not too long ago. And even if he was still counseling now wasn't the best time to be fully analyzing others. Chromedome must have quickly caught onto what Rung was holding back as he shifted the focus of their conversation.

“What about you, Rung? You’re sitting here with me and not with your own conjunx endura.”

Rung felt his fuel tank churn at the question.

“Megatron left,” Rung said, “He’s surrendering himself to Tarn in hopes that the rest of us will be spared.”

“Oh. I’m sorry,” Chromedome replied.

Silence fell between the two and Rung felt time drag slowly once again. The former psychiatrist wanted to tell Chromedome to be with Rewind. He almost wanted to scream his envy at both of them for wasting their opportunity to be with their conjunx.

“I didn’t think this would be how things ended,” Rung spoke again, “When Megatron and I decided to bond we tried to prepare ourselves for his execution back on Cybertron. We knew that we didn't have a lot of time to be together. But you never really can brace yourself for your significant other’s death can you?”

Rung stared at his own lap in silence again. He had seen the risk of death numerous times after joining the Lost Light. But this was the DJD. There was no guarantee that they’d keep their promise to let the rest of the Autobots go, and that was if Megatron could manage to get such a deal from them.

“I never imagined that I would ever care this much over Megatron’s life. Megatron of all mechs,” Rung let out a soft laugh.

“I think that's one of the best things about love,” Chromedome said, “When it’s for the one you least expect. Yet you wouldn’t change a thing even if you had the chance.”

“No regrets. Just time well spent,” Rung smiled.

Rung snapped open the storage compartment below his spark chamber. Inside was a model of the Lost Light that he kept with him at all times, a small datapad, and a box of candy energon sticks. He retrieved the datapad and candy sticks before closing the compartment. Rung opened the box of sweets and looked at them for a moment. Normally he would have been delighted to indulge in his favorite treat. But right now he felt too apathetic to have any interest in them.

“I don’t suppose you’ll want one?” Rung offered the candy in Chromedome’s direction.

“No, thank you,” the mnemosurgeon declined with a slight wave of his hand.

Rung stashed the candy box back in his storage compartment. He then turned his attention to the datapad he still held. Rung powered it on and saw the familiar words. It was a poem that Megatron had written for him, the first of a number of poems he dedicated to Rung. Though he had the poem memorized perfectly by now Rung still felt comfort in rereading the artfully crafted words.

“Is that Ratchet?” Chromedome said.

Rung looked up from the datapad. He had been so absorbed in the poem that he didn’t notice the chatter of the other mechs further down the hall. He could hear the voices of Rodimus and Ratchet approaching closer to the room he and Chromedome had retired in. Rung felt ashamed that he didn’t notice the voice of the medic that left them months ago to find Drift.

“Did we successfully call for help?” Rung stood up and quickly stashed the datapad back into his compartment.

For a brief moment Rung felt a glimmer of hope for their survival. He didn't know how much time had passed since Megatron left. If they hurried it was possible they could all leave the planet safely. But the second Rung stepped out into the hallway that small bit of hope was torn from his spark. Ratchet and Rodimus were carrying Megatron between them as they ran past Rung. Ravage was running beside the three while Drift followed closely behind. Just from the quick glance Rung could see the massive hole in Megatron’s chest. Rung could feel his entire sense of time grind to a halt as he sprinted after them.

“Megs!” Rung cried out.

Rodimus and Ratchet didn't slow down. Ratchet was calling out to Velocity for immediate assistance. Only Drift turned and slowed down just enough to let Rung catch up with him. 

“No, no, no, please no!”

Rung’s legs wanted to give out from the sickening panic that surged through his every circuit. But he forced himself to keep running.

“Megs! Please don't leave me!”

Chromedome watched them disappear from the hallway. He could still hear Rung’s desperate pleading. By the look of Megatron’s state it was clear that Tarn had rejected his proposal to spare them. It wouldn’t be long now before the sun would set. Chromedome turned down the other direction in the hall to search for Rewind.


End file.
